Snowboarding is a popular winter sport. Snowboarders board down a snow covered mountain on a snowboard with boots affixed in snowboard bindings.
Two types of bindings are commonly used in snowboarding: the high-back strapped binding and a strapless step-in binding. The high-back strapped binding is characterized by a vertical plastic back piece which is used to apply pressure to the heel-side of the board. This binding has two straps which go over the foot, with one strap holding down the heel and the other holding down the toe. Some high-backs also have a third strap on the vertical back piece called a shin strap which gives additional support and aids in toe side turns. The strapless step-in binding is used with a hard shell boot much like a ski binding except it is non-releasable. With both types of bindings, a typically bottom plate or boot plate is provided with screw holes to attach the binding to a snowboard. The bindings are attached to the snowboard with four screws inserted in these screw slots.
Snowboard boot bindings are normally screwed onto the snowboard in a permanent orientation which is almost perpendicular to the direction of travel of the snowboard. When a snowboarder reaches the bottom of a run, the rear boot is typically released from its binding to allow the snowboarder to propel himself forward across relatively flat snow. Because the front foot in the snowboard binding is at an angle to forward motion, the snowboarder experiences discomfort and tension on his leg, knee, and foot joints. Having the front boot nearly perpendicular to the snowboard with the snowboard and back foot moving straight forward is very uncomfortable and potentially dangerous because a fall in this orientation may injure the ankle or knee joints of the snowboarder. If the snowboarder releases his front boot from the binding, the snowboarder is relegated to walking, carrying his board. Further more it is difficult to mount a chair lift with one foot on the board at an angle to the forward direction of the board, and on a chair lift having the foot nearly perpendicular to the snowboard causes the snowboard to be positioned across the front of the chair which is an awkward orientation for mounting and is disturbing or damaging to anyone seated on an adjacent chair.
The use of rotatable boot binding mechanisms is known in the prior art. More specifically, rotatable boot binding mechanisms heretofore devised and utilized for the purpose of allowing rotation of a boot binding with respect to a snowboard are known to consist basically of familiar, expected and obvious structural configurations, notwithstanding the myriad of designs encompassed by the crowded art which have been developed for the fulfillment of countless objectives and requirements. A number of devices have provided rotatable snowboard bindings, but lack the improved performance and ease of adjustability of the present invention.
Thus, there is a need for a rotatable snowboard boot binding which allows snowboarders to rotate their foot without removing their boot from its binding, allows rotation without the need to bend down to operate a latching device, provides improved responsiveness, provides enhanced foot and lower leg support, and is easily retrofitted to existing snowboards.
The following represents a list of known related art:
Reference:Issued to:Date of Issue:U.S. Pat. No. 6,575,498 B1WhiteJun. 10, 2003U.S. Pat. No. 6,318,749Eglitis et al.Nov. 20, 2001U.S. Pat. No. 6,206,402,TanakaMar. 27, 2001U.S. Pat. No. 6,203,051SabolMar. 20, 2001U.S. Pat. No. 6,155,578PattersonDec. 5, 2000U.S. Pat. No. 6,102,430ReynoldsAug. 15, 2000U.S. Pat. No. 5,984,325AcunaNov. 16, 1999U.S. Pat. No. 5,975,554LintonNov. 2, 1999U.S. Pat. No. 5,868,416FardieFeb. 9, 1999U.S. Pat. No. 5,782,476FardieJul. 21, 1998U.S. Pat. No. 5,762,358Hale et al.Jun. 9, 1998U.S. Pat. No. 5,669,630Perkins et al.Sep. 23, 1997U.S. Pat. No. 5,586,779Dawes et al.Dec. 24, 1996U.S. Pat. No. 5,584,492FardieDec. 17, 1996U.S. Pat. No. 5,499,837Hale et al.Mar. 19, 1996U.S. Pat. No. 5,354,088Vetter et al.Oct. 11, 1994U.S. Pat. No. 5,277,635GillisJan. 11, 1994U.S. Pat. No. 5,236,216RatzekAug. 17, 1993U.S. Pat. No. 5,261,689Carpenter et al.Nov. 16, 1993U.S. Pat. No. 5,054,807FauvetOct. 8, 1991U.S. Pat. No. 5,044,654MeyerSep. 3, 1991U.S. Pat. No. 5,028,068DonovanJul. 2, 1991U.S. Pat. No. 5,021,017OttJun. 4, 1991U.S. Pat. No. 4,728,116HillMar. 1, 1988U.S. Pat. No. Re. 36,800Vetter et al.Oct. 11, 1994U.S. Des. Pat. 357,296SimsApr. 11, 1995
The teachings of each of the above-listed citations (which does not itself incorporate essential material by reference) are herein incorporated by reference. None of the above inventions and patents, taken either singularly or in combination, is seen to describe the instant invention as claimed.
U.S. Pat. No. 6,575,498 B1 to White, the present applicant, teaches a conversion kit providing a rotating base plate to which a conventional snowboard boot binding apparatus may be attached. White does not teach the use of rotatable mechanism integral with a boot binding, which reduces complexity, saves weight, and provides a tighter attachment to the board for more natural response in maneuvers.
U.S. Pat. No. 5,984,325 to Acuna teaches an adjustable snowboard binding. In the reference the foot remains in the binding, and binding can be locked into a selected angular position using one or more hand manipulated levers. The boot binding itself is the rotation device. Boot must be unstrapped and removed to adjust the position. The boot holding device is built into the disclosed binding—the boot is inserted the binding.
U.S. Pat. No. 6,155,578 to Patterson discloses a snowboard latching mechanism which requires the snowboarder to bend over and with both hands to radially pull outward on handles of boot binding to remove element from notches in binding, and then to rotate the device.
U.S. Pat. No. 6,102,430, to Reynolds discloses a latching mechanism for a snowboard boot binding, wherein the snowboarder bends down and releases a lever which allows the foot in the boot in the binding to be moved angularly in relation to the snowboard.
U.S. Pat. No. 6,206,402, to Tanaka discloses a latching mechanism for a snowboard boot binding in which the boot must be removed, and then the twist locking mechanism manually operated to rotate the binding to desired rotation settings, and then the boot is reinserted.
U.S. Pat. No. 5,586,779, to Dawes et al. teaches a latching mechanism for a snowboard boot binding which includes a screw locking mechanism wherein the screw is screwed into the threaded hole in the binding mount plate, and the mechanism consists of a centrally disposed spring loaded plunger. Dawes claims an adjustable snowboard boot binding apparatus which is rotatably adjustable “on the fly” without removing the boot from the binding and is compatible with existing snowboard boot bindings. A central hub is attached to the board and a top binding mounting plate and bottom circular rotating plate are interconnected and sandwich the hub between them, so that the binding plate and circular plate rotate on a bearing between the binding plate and the central hub. A spring-loaded plunger lock mechanism locks the binding plate to the central hub in a series of holes in the hub. Alternately, gear teeth on the hub may interact with a plunger to lock the device. Several other locking devices are shown.
U.S. Pat. No. 5,028,068, to Donovan describes a quick-action adjustable snowboard boot binding comprising a support plate to which a conventional boot binding is mounted. The support plate is fixedly attached to a circular swivel plate which rotates, via a center bearing, relative to a base plate attached to the board. Donovan discloses a latching mechanism for a snowboard boot binding in which a handle is pivotally mounted on a bracket which is connected to a yoke, which is attached to a flexible cable which, when tightened, prevents the binding from moving. The handle is mounted on a plate below the boot binding. A person must bend down and loosen, and bend down and tighten. A cable encircles a groove in the swivel plate and a handle pivots up to release the cable for adjusting the angle of the swivel plate and pivots down to tighten the swivel plate at a desired angle.
U.S. Pat. No. 6,318,749, issued to Eglitis et al. teaches a latching mechanism for a snowboard boot binding to allow the snowboarder to align his boot with the direction of travel. The snowboarder must bend down and manually grasp a pull ring under the binding and pull outwardly, compressing a spring in the latching mechanism until the locking member disengages from a locking notch.
U.S. Pat. No. 5,975,554 issued to Linton discloses a latching mechanism for a snowboard boot binding to allow a snowboarder to rotate his boot in relation to the snowboard. The disclosed device utilizes a cable around an outer surface of a floating clamp. A specific boot binding must be used. The cable operates through use of a lever. The snowboarder must bend down to flip the lever to engage or disengage.
U.S. Pat. No. 5,669,630, issued to Perkins et al. discloses a latching mechanism for a snowboard boot binding to allow a snowboarder to rotate the boot binding relative to the snowboard. The latching mechanism works through a tie down bolt that must be unscrewed to allow rotation of the boot binding relative to the board. Rotation is done without the foot in the binding.
U.S. Pat. No. Re. 36,800, to Vetter et al. discloses a latching mechanism for releasing a boot binding from a board. The reference discloses bending over and manually lifting up a latch bind held under a spring bias, rotating the foot, and thus disengaging from the board. The reference discloses a quick release for the back foot.
U.S. Pat. No. 5,354,088 to Vetter et al. discloses a coupling for releasably mounting a boot with boot binding to a turntable ring which is adjustably secured to a snowboard. A spring loaded pin with a long cord is the locking mechanism. Vetter does not disclose a secure screw-type up and down locking device, a retrofit capability, a large diameter roller bearing, an elevated lock ring to prevent icing, a central guide post for ease of alignment during assembly, a positive engagement safety device to limit the degree of rotatability during free rotation, a spring rotation control, or an easy grasp elevated T-shaped lock handle for use with gloves or mittens.
U.S. Pat. No. 5,762,358 to Hale et al. discloses a latching mechanism for a snowboard boot binding to allow a snowboarder to rotate his boot while bound to the snowboard, in relation to the snowboard. The reference teaches a base plate, a binding plate, and a hold down disk, wherein the binding plate swivels in relation to the snowboard, the base plate and the hold down disk. A dual lever system is provided on the binding plate, on either side of the boot binding, the rotation of the levers engages and disengages a locking element which engages and disengages the binding plate to effectuate the rotatabilty.
U.S. Pat. No. 5,499,837 to Hale et al. illustrates a swivelable mount for a snowboard having a rotatable binding plate attached to a circular plate which rotates in a circular groove of a base plate secured to the snowboard. A handle with a cam and spring-loaded pin secures the binding plate at a desired angle. Hale does not disclose a secure screw-type up and down locking device, a retrofit capability, a large diameter roller bearing, an elevated lock ring to prevent icing, a central guide post for ease of alignment during assembly, a positive engagement safety device to limit the degree of rotatability during free rotation, a spring rotation control, or an easy grasp elevated T-shaped lock handle for use with gloves or mittens.
U.S. Pat. No. 6,203,051 issued to Sabol discloses a latching mechanism for a snowboard boot binding that allows the snowboarder to rotate the binding in relation to the snowboard. The reference teaches a T-handle screw-type lock which can be secured in the up or down position, an elevated lock ring to prevent icing, and a control guide post for ease of alignment. The snowboarder in operation must bend down and grab the “T” shaped lock handle to change the degree of rotation.
U.S. Pat. Nos. 5,584,492, 5,782,476, and 5,868,416, issued to Fardie disclose a latching mechanism for a snowboard boot binding that allows the snowboarder to rotate the binding in relation to the snowboard. Single or dual levers are actuated to allow rotatability, and to secure the binding from rotation. The levers actuate a band which slides into and out of toothed segments in the binding platform. Fardie provides an adjustable snowboard binding assembly which can be rotatably controlled. The snowboard mounting platforms each have a plurality of inwardly facing radial teeth along the circumference of a centralized circular cutout, the bottom of which rests on four quadrant segments connected to a stainless steel band which moves along a groove in the center of the board activated by a lever. The mounting platform can rotate relative to the four quadrant segments and is locked in place at a desired angle by two spring loaded sliding segments with mating teeth to engage the teeth on the mounting platform to lock it in place at a desired angle.
U.S. Pat. No. 5,236,216 to Ratzek shows a fastening disk that can be clamped upon a binding-support plate that can be turned about a normal axis to the board. Several bolts must be loosened somewhat to allow the rotational position of the binding plate to be changed, then the bolts must be re-tightened.
U.S. Pat. No. 5,261,689 to Carpenter et al. shows a number of bolts through a hold-down plate for a rotatable binding-support plate must be loosened and then re-tightened in order to change the binding orientation.
U.S. Pat. No. 5,044,654 to Meyer shows a system in which a single central bolt must be loosened and re-tightened.
U.S. Pat. No. 5,277,635 to Gillis shows a water skiboard with rotatably adjustable bindings; however, it appears that such mechanism is not adequate for use in the snowboarding environment. It is also noted that the above-mentioned prior devices in their structure and design, do not lend themselves to relatively inexpensive, lightweight, low-profile, bindings mounts that are desirable by those enthusiasts who desire to enhance their snowboarding performance capabilities.
U.S. Pat. No. 5,499,837 to Hale et al. shows an improved snowboard binding support with quick and effective swivelable adjustment capability; however, there remains a need for such a product that has unique structural features that will lend it to easy and efficient fabrication as well as having superior strength, durability, and reliability in the face of the high stresses encountered during normal rigorous use of a snowboard.
Thus, while the foregoing body of art indicates it to be well known to have an adjustable snowboard binding, the art described above does not teach or suggest a rotatable boot binding which has the following combination of desirable features: (1) the snowboarder may use the boot binding with commonly available boot sizes; (2) the snowboarder may rotate the boot binding without removing the boot; (3) the snowboarder may rotate the boot binding without bending down by utilizing a tether which can attach to the leg; (4) the rotatable boot binding may be easily retrofitted to any snowboard; (5) no special tools or skills are required to attach the rotatable boot binding to a snowboard; (6) the rotatable boot binding is simple to manufacture; (7) the stiffness and response of the rotatable boot binding may be altered by altering the shape and stiffness of the engaging plate and/or a calf support; (8) a replaceable low friction pad may be incorporated to prevent damage to the snowboard from contact with the bottom of the boot plate.